Had to euthanize the little black 23 Y.O. kitty this morning. 6 lbs of energy until two days ago, and then it was like flipping a switch, totally lethargic. Other than mostly deaf, thick old-kitty claws, and a bit of cataracts, she acted like a spry healthy little hellion with a great personality till Wednesday.

Final blood tests showed renal failure current and permanent, so the vet gave her subcutaneous fluids and a B12 shot to try and kick start the kidneys, but 24 hrs later she was worse and wouldn't even coo anymore when I petted her head.

We knew her kidneys were on the edge for a couple of years or so, but she had no obvious physical signs other than drinking a lot of water and vomiting water once in a while. There is usually weight loss but I weigh the kids regularly and she has been fine. Usually renal failure is long drawn out process for man or beast, so she was lucky. She kicked it hard for 23 years.

Gonna miss her. She was getting senile. LOL. Every night when I hit the hay she had to lay on my chest an inch from my face for a while. If I got out of bed for a minute and came back, it was rinse and repeat.

I didn't have her 23 years, she used to live in the house behind us, indoor/outdoor cat, but the white trash didn't take care of her, left her outside in sub freezing weather, hot days without water etc, so she moved in with us about 8 years ago, a few years after we moved here. We started letting her in when she wanted and eventually she made us her home. She's been an indoor kitty for the last three years though since I realized that she couldn't hear. The white trash never even mentioned that she was missing.

That's two in two months, the other one was a 17 Y.O. tortoise shell, but we knew that her kidneys were going bad for a year or so by the signs, losing weight fast, drinking a lot, so she was no surprise. She was also mostly deaf her last 3 years, and blind the last 2, but none of that mattered, she knew where her litter box was and where the food was, and still loved to be petted, amazing resilience animals have and how they adapt. She was one we took in about 8 years ago, a friend of Lora's passed away so we took the kitty.

Anyway, this shot's for them. No matter how hard I try and how many I've been through it I still cry like a baby when they put the needle in.

They lay a love in our hearts that's beyond special, and really? Pretty close to better than the ways we find to love each other.

It's unconditional. I think of the times I needed to sleep and pushed her off, but then I also think of the many more times I didn't because I knew it wasn't forever.

It was time for her. Realizing that you are just keeping them alive for you and not them is tough at first, but afterwards it feels okay, really. I've pushed it too long before and that feels much worse when it's all said and done.

Sorry to hear, it is never cool to lose them, even though it is for the better of them. It still sucks anyway. Like losing a family member, well, they are exactly that.

Our oldest of the three is now 15 and still in good shape, climbs and gets on my lap or wherever she thinks she'll fit in often at the most unsuitable occasions, like when I'm focused on something really, really important like coding up a website or checking out facebook. Or when I'm just about to stand up and do something else.

Damn, Dude. So sorry to hear that. Been there myself too many times, and I know the pain and that feeling that something's missing. But 23 years! That's a long life for a kitty-cat — and I'm sure the years she spent with you were the best ones.

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